Child of Threes
by AthenaIsCool6
Summary: When Percy was eight, an unexpected visit changed his life forever. Saddled with a few illustrious titles, a horde of bad memories, and a clan of red-headed siblings, he's going to change the world! Rated for intense scenes.
1. Chapter 1

_**Child of Threes**_

By_ AthenaIsCool6, AKA me_

**Disclaimer: No. I don't own it. Any of it.**

* * *

Chapter 1

_The Dark Lord stands undefeated. He shall fall by his own hand. The child of threes shall be marked as his bane… third child, born on the third day of the third month… Born of parents who defied the Dark Lord thrice, he shall die and rise again… for neither can live while the other survives… The Dark Lord's undoing by the bane of his own hand… He shall mark the child of threes as his bane..._

It was March 3; Percy Weasley's eighth birthday, and Percy's birthday wish was for an end to the war.

Molly had just brought the birthday cake to the family dining table when she felt the wards around the Burrow shatter. Voldemort himself flew into her front yard. They had only seconds to get out.

Arthur grabbed his wand and started casting defensive spells. "Run, Molly! Take the kids and run! I'll hold him off."

Molly had tears in her eyes as she thanked God that Bill, at least, was safe for now at the Ramaro's. Molly grabbed the twins' hands and told Charlie and Percy to run ahead to the nursery. She was hot on their heels, praying silently for a miracle of any sort to occur.

Voldemort blasted the door down, ghosting dramatically through the empty doorframe. The moment he passed the rotted threshold, though, a bucket of ice-cold water splashed down on him. In his surprise, he froze momentarily and escaped a _Glacius _Charm only by sheer luck. Voldemort saw red, unleashing a barely controlled wave of mass destruction. He looked up and cursed.

Arthur Weasley stood there, casting spells with a masterful speed that most Aurors spend decades perfecting. He threw his spells not only at Voldemort, but also at a variety of magical reflecting mirrors strategically placed around the room as well. The effect of the rebounding spells was like a multitude of people casting spells as well. It was very effective, except for one problem: This was Lord Voldemort he was dealing with, and Lord Voldemort wasn't about to be overcome by a dancing weasel and his magic mirrors.

He quickly compromised the nuisances with a _Maso Destructo_ aimed at the mirrors. The mirrors were made for reflecting Light spells, and the _Maso Destructo_ certainly wasn't light. _Maso Destructo_ was a Dark spell more powerful than a _Bombarda Maxima_. Unfortunately, at least to Voldemort, it only affected inanimate objects.

Of course, the five-second recovery time distracted him from the second line of defense.

Arthur threw a spell out the front door. The target of that spell was confirmed a moment later by the garden gnomes crawling in threw every opening, door, window, of even a hole in the ceiling. They surrounded Voldemort and attacked him with a type of Gnomish magic that made Voldemort very uncomfortable, like needles pricking all over himself. Some held kitchen knives and sliced at him with that. Others threw fruits and the birthday cake in Voldemort's eyes. Arthur had to smile a tad at that. His son could not possibly find a better way to use that cake, aside from eating it. He shook his head and threw Stunning spells and other curses at the creature in the mob.

The Lake-Water clan of gnomes had always been on good terms with the Weasley family. It was only when rogue gnomes snuck out to pilfer cabbages (which was all the time) that the Weasleys had to swing them out. Although, relations were rather sore for a few weeks one time when Bill and Charlie had accidentally caught Clan-Master Hodgepodge Lake-Water's son, Fluffer Lunky Lake-Water, and magicked him into a Christmas Angel costume and set him on top of the Christmas tree.

Now, however, when the Gnomish Aid spell Hodgepodge had taught Arthur years ago flew by and burst into Green-Works (Gnomes don't like fireworks, so they use Green-Works instead), they didn't hesitate. They were in Arthur's garden almost immediately, ready for action.

Voldemort would grow to regret killing old Skyrocket Bluegrass.

Arthur conjured several large birds and made them attack Voldemort, and attempted to stun him again. Now, though, the gnomes he'd called for were getting in his way, with their unorganized approach.

Angry again, Voldemort Vanished all the gnomes and all the birds in one fell swoop, immediately using his momentum to catch the Stunners and fling them back at Arthur, who had the unfortunate luck of being hit by one.

Arthur, who recognized the end, had one last thought. _Oh, crud. Goodbye Molly, kids…_

Voldemort allowed himself a moment to gloat at the man now lying unconscious on the floor. Yes, he had underestimated the slight and portly man, and it had nearly cost him. Now, though, he wasn't going to make the same mistake with the Weasley matriarch. Toying with her, though, was always fun. It was a shame his Horcruxes had shrunk his testicles to the size of his nose-that is to say, non-existent. Coldly, Voldemort killed Arthur Weasley, stepped on his face, and then moved on.

Molly grabbed the Floo powder and turned, setting the door on fire (after setting up a Heat Ward, of course). She threw a handful of powder and the door-fire turned green.

The Floo-Portal was like an ordinary Floo except they didn't use fireplaces, they used windows or doors. Charlie, holding Ginny, jumped in first. With the blood-enchantments on the door, it should take them directly to Bill. The twins followed soon after. However, before she could push Percy and three-year-old Ron into the portal, a virtual wall of suffocating Dark water doused the fire. Molly, Percy, and Ron were left doused and spluttering. Ron shivered, holding his teddy bear, Terry.

Molly cursed herself silently for having given Charlie her wand, and tried to console herself with the fact that five of her children were safe.

_But they weren't, _Molly realized. _None of her children were safe, as long as the bastard You-Know-Who was around, they weren't. _

So, Molly, petrified in all ways except the literal way, mother of seven soon to be five, looked Voldemort in the eye and did the only thing she could do.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY HUSBAND!" she screeched. Percy and Ron cowered and crawled under Ron's crib. Molly continued, "YOU MONSTER! YOU SHOULD DIE TWICE OVER FOR EACH INNOCENT HUMAN YOU KILL! KEEP YOUR-" her rant was cut off with a well-placed _Silencio. _

"Now, Molly. Be polite. Since you have amused me greatly, I will give you one chance. Sacrifice you child. Sacrifice him, and you can enjoy your life with six children. Who knows, you might even find a new husband! Step aside, Molly. Lord Voldemort is merciful." He should have known from the moment Molly broke her curse that something was indeed very, very wrong.

Molly laughed bitterly. "Merciful. You were _ever so_ merciful when you killed Arthur. You were _oh so_ merciful when your followers blew up Diagon Alley on Sales Day. You're even merciful to your own followers! What's this I hear about Severus Snape? I'm very sorry you lost your top potion brewer. Wasn't that just a slip of the wand?"

"ONE CHANCE, MOLLY!" Voldemort screamed. "YOURSELF OF YOUR CHILDREN!"

"KILL ME, THEN!" Molly shouted right back. She didn't have her wand, but she still stood tall and placed her wand arm on her heart. "I SWEAR UPON MY LIFE AND MAGIC THAT I WILL NOT VOLUNTARILY LET YOU HARM MY CHILDREN! I WOULD RATHER DIE THEN LET YOU HARM MY CHILDREN, YOU BASTARD!" And it seemed that a storm broke outside the house, for wind was blowing and rain was falling. A thunderclap shook the house, but Molly did not fall or falter. In fact, she seemed magnified, larger than life. "WITH MY DYING BREATH, I CURSE YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE UNIVERSE!"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Voldemort screamed, brandishing his wand.

Molly let out one last, high pitched scream before falling. She collapsed, on the floor like a marionette whose strings had been cut.

All was silent for a moment before Voldemort, cackling madly, Vanished the crib, leaving Percy and Ron exposed.

Percy had had enough. "You killed my mum," he whispered, still in shock. "You killed my dad." And suddenly he's pushing Ron back, defending the toddler the way Molly had defended him. "You will not take my brothers, NO! DO YOU HEAR ME-" Voldemort lazily waved his wand, and Percy's mouth snapped closed.

Voldemort studied the eight-year-old for a moment, and then stared directly into the boy's hateful glare.

"Percival Weasley, I know you're not stupid. I only need Ronald. Stand aside, like your idiotic mother should have, and I shall allow you life," he said.

Voldemort was right on one account. Percy Weasley wasn't stupid. He didn't have to look into Voldemort's inhuman red snake eyes to know not to believe a word the monster said.

"NO!" But it wasn't Percy.

In all this time, Ron had stayed silent. He had whimpered as Voldemort wreaked havoc, and had started bawling when he made Mummy collapse with the green light, but he had stayed reasonably quiet. Now, though, he was pulling at Percy's pant leg, trying to get his older brother out of the bad man's sights. Gently, Percy shook his leg free, and the red-headed boy was forced to watch his brother face his doom.

"Goodbye, Ron," Percy whispered as the green bolt of light left Voldemort's wand and hit Percy square in the forehead, leaving a scar in the shape of the number 3.

But then things started to go wrong. The bolt of light rebounded of Percy and embedded itself into Voldemort's chest, directly on his heart. Voldemort screamed, feeling exactly what Molly unknowingly and portentously foretold. He felt the agony of two painful deaths, withering and burning until all that was left was a set of black, menacing, smoking pile of robes. Downstairs, the screaming began.

* * *

Percy was somewhere, somewhere without color. He wanted to lie down on this blank surface forever, but then he remembered Ron, who was alone in a room with You-Know-Who. In seconds, he was on his feet, though not without effort.

Ron wasn't there. Of course, he never was there when Percy wanted him, so Percy set out to find him, before realizing he had no clothes on.

Naturally, being the eight-year-old boy he was, Percy wished he had clothes.

A little ways away, a set of dark red robes appeared. Percy spotted them and put them on, wondering just where he was. It looked a bit like the Atrium at the Ministry, with the Floo fireplaces ready to go. Percy had only been there once. He noticed that new details seemed to appear every second, keeping him looking around in wonder.

And suddenly he wasn't alone. Percy turned around once more, and there they were. Mum and Dad.

"Mum! Dad!" he cried, running over as fast as he could. He hugged them, and to his wonder, they hugged back.

"But…Aren't you…Aren't you…"

"Dead?" Arthur suggested brightly.

Molly shot him a dark look and continued, "Yes, I suppose we are dead, darling."

"But-doesn't that mean that I'm dead?" Percy asked. _I shouldn't have asked, shouldn't be so surprised,_ he thought. Everyone knew what the green light meant.

The answer to his question surprised him more. "No, Percy. Not unless you want to," Arthur said, smiling brightly.

Percy blinked. "What?"

"You've been given a second chance, Percy, a chance to get rid of Voldemort for good," Molly replied.

The fact Molly used Voldemort's name was not lost on Percy.

He was silent for a while, hanging on to his last moment with his parents. Then he said softly, "I don't want to leave you, Mummy."

Molly smiled and ran her hand over his hair. "I don't want to leave you either, darling. But Ron needs you, your family needs you."

"But you are my family!"

Arthur put in, "Think of it this way, buddy. We'll be waiting for you, right here. Then, when you're older and ready, you'll come back, and we can meet as a family again. Damn, this is hard." His voice cracked a little. Molly slapped him on the back.

"Percy, when you go back, can you give everyone our love? Oh, tell Ron that it's okay not to follow tradition. Tell George that he doesn't need to be a follower. Make sure Ginny knows that she can come to any of her brothers at any time. And tell Bill that he needs to relax sometimes. We love you, Percy, and don't you ever forget that."

After a final round of hugs, kisses, and "I'll see you later"'s, Percy had just one more question.

"Is this real? Or has this been happening in my head?"

Molly and Arthur shared a look, smiled, and replied in tandem, "Of course it's in your head, but who says it's not real?"

Percy opened his mouth to reply, but the bright mist whisked him away. He was going, going…gone.

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Review! Happy MLK day!


	2. Chapter 2 Preview

Child of Threes

Chapter 2 Preview

Finally, the prefect meeting was over. Percy left the prefect carriage with a feeling of relief. It was hard enough avoiding the stares that came from the younger students, but did the ones his age, supposedly selected as the mature, responsible ones of their year, have to act like their younger counterparts?  
Penelope Clearwater, one of Percy's best friends and the Ravenclaw prefect, raised an eyebrow at him. She jokingly asked, "What's up, Percy? You look like you've got a stick up your arse." Penny had been one of Percy's best friends since first year, when he had hexed an older Gryffindor student who sneered at her Muggle fantasy books. She and Oliver Wood, Percy's other best friend, stuck with Percy, even that one time during second year when someone bribed Peeves to continuously throw Stinkpellets at him. They had learned the Bubble-head charm four years early.  
Percy grinned at her and said, "Why, yes I do. Would you like to pull it out?"  
To his surprise, she flushed madly and turned away. He blinked, then considered what he had said. Percy's eyes widened, and he stammered, "Th-that is...Er, I didn't m-mean..._that_...er..."  
Penny turned and grinned at him, though her cheeks were still rather red. "I know what you meant, don't worry. Hey, blond-haired kid with the two thugs, put down that boy now!"  
Percy blinked, but then he looked inside the carriage and saw who Penny was talking to and stiffened. The blond-haired kid was laughing gleefully as the two 'thug-like' boys who looked like muscle shoved a fourth boy's head out the window.  
The blond kid turned and stuck his lip out defiantly. "I am Draco Malfoy," he said, as if that meant anything. He distastefully added, "I do not listen to Mud- to the likes of _you_."  
Percy took one step closer, thinking, _Merlin, I hate bullies. And self-righteous pure-blooded maniacs. But mostly, self-righteous pure-blooded bullying maniacs who think that their name gave them privileges. _  
"And I am a prefect, which means I have enough authority to demand you step away from the window _at once_, pull that poor boy's head back inside, give you three detention, and write you to the school board, as long as we are on school grounds, which, I may add, include this train. Your father may be on it, but I fail to see how even he can spin sticking a first-year's head out the window as justifiable behavior. A pure-blooded first-year, too," he added upon recognizing the fourth boy's face. "I can also recommend you to the headmaster if need be, as well. All before we even reach the school, too! Why, I'm sure your old man would surely be disappointed in you. And you two!" he said, pointing to the thugs trying to escape Percy's notice while he berated Draco Malfoy. "I will not be forgetting you were the ones who actually held Mr. Longbottom out of the train. What are your names?"  
Thug 1 grunted. "Gregory Goyle."  
Thug 2 grunted as well. "Vincent Crabbe."  
Percy walked over to them. Short as he was, he was barely taller than the two boys. "Tell me," he said, speaking softly now. "Tell me why you put Neville Longbottom's head out of the window."  
Gregory Goyle spoke first, muttering in his deep voice, "Draco told us too." Vincent Crabbe nodded.  
Percy stared them in the eye. "And tell me, then, why you listened to Draco."  
Crabbe spoke this time. In a surprisingly childish voice, he said, "We always have."  
Percy looked at them both. "Do you think what you did was right? Do you think that it's alright to stick people's heads out the window?"  
Crabbe and Goyle looked at a loss. In his peripheral vision, Percy noted that Draco Malfoy looked terrified.  
Goyle said softly, "Nobody ever asked us before."  
Crabbe added, "Dad told me to just do what Draco says."  
Goyle finished, "It's better than what Dad tells us to do at home."  
Percy noted that Penny and Neville Longbottom both were looking at him in more than a little awe. _Time to pull out the big guns_.  
"Do you know who I am?" he asked. The Crabbe and Goyle, who until this moment were staring at their feet, looked up. Their eyes popped open. They stared at each other, acting like frenzied puppies.  
"No way!"  
"All this time!"  
"Oh, Merlin!"  
"Is that really..."  
"Percy Weasley?"  
Percy found it hard to keep from grimacing at the hero-worship. It took all his willpower to keep his face impassive. Penny's face suddenly gained a look of dawning comprehension, while Neville looked simply astonished.  
Malfoy's speech barricade seemed to have been overcome at last, and he barked in a sudden harsh voice, "Crabbe, Goyle, stop this instant! I'll write your fathers!"  
But Crabbe and Goyle were not to be put down mildly. Goyle's glare stopped Malfoy in his tracks. His guttural voice snapped, "Knock off, _Draco_. I'm done listening to orders."  
Even Percy was surprised by this declaration. Malfoy's mouth fell open.  
Crabbe stood next to him. "We aren't smart, that's not what we're saying. But we aren't stupid, either. You've been leading us on a long time, Draco."  
Malfoy began shouting obscenities at the pair that was only broken off when Percy and Penny grabbed an arm each. He cussed all the way to the Perfect carriage.

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**That's my preview for chapter 2. I'll post the real thing after the CM music test (I'm taking level 10 [advanced]-its hard stuff). **


	3. Chapter 2

**Child Of Threes  
_Chapter 2_  
_The Express_  
****AN. May I offer my sincere apologies for taking so long to update. I got sick, and then I rewrote this chapter not once, not twice, but _three_ times. Then I had my CM Music theory test (level Advanced), and I still have the keyboard one to go! Not to mention the homework piling up on my desk...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Kudos to JKR!**

* * *

_7 and 1/2 years later_

It was a sunny fall day. In King's Cross, a crowd of people pushed their way towards the trains. No one seemed to notice the people disappearing through a certain barrier, nine and three-fourths of the way down the platform. No one noticed, or particularly cared, about the strange people going about with owls, cats, and toads in cages, dressed in sweeping robes and long cloaks. And no one knew about the invisible scarlet locomotor steam engine train chugging its' way through the hills, headed to an obscure village and an even more obscure castle in Scotland.

A boy sat in the first compartment of this scarlet train, where there was a meeting going on, ignoring the many stares he was receiving from the other occupants of the train. He was used to it. The fifteen-year-old boy was small for his age, rather short in stature. He was pale, making the blotchy mess of freckles stand out even more. He had a small, pointed nose, round blue eyes, and his tongue was sandwiched between his teeth. His round blue eyes flicked through the book he was reading, as he crossed and uncrossed his legs nervously. He wore strange clothes, too, black plain robes with a small red and gold crest over the heart and a bit of red and gold trimmings. A badge, also in red and gold, had a stylized P scrawled on it. A wand, hornbeam and dragon heartstring, poked out from his wrist. However, what stood out the most was not his horn-rimmed glasses, nor the preening owl on his shoulder. It wasn't even the curly shocking orange-red hair that spilled over his head and brushed his shoulders. It was the black scar displayed prominently on his forehead (no matter how many curls were brushed over the area), shaped like a jagged 3. The boy's name was Percy Weasley, the Boy-Who-Lived (and not at all proud of it).

Finally, the prefect meeting was over. Percy left the prefect carriage with a feeling of relief. It was hard enough avoiding the stares that came from the younger students, but did the ones his age, supposedly selected as the mature, responsible ones of their year, have to act like their younger counterparts?

Penelope Clearwater, one of Percy's best friends and the Ravenclaw prefect, raised an eyebrow at him. She jokingly asked, "What's up, Percy? You look like you've got a stick up your arse." Penny had been one of Percy's best friends since first year, when he had hexed an older Gryffindor student who sneered at her Muggle fantasy books. She and Oliver Wood, Percy's other best friend, stuck with Percy, even that one time during second year when someone bribed Peeves to continuously throw Stinkpellets at him. They had learned the Bubble-head charm four years early.

Percy grinned at her and said, "Why, yes I do. Would you like to pull it out?"

To his surprise, she flushed madly and turned away. He blinked, then considered what he had said. Percy's eyes widened, and he stammered, "Th-that is...Er, I didn't m-mean...that...er..."

Penny turned and grinned at him, though her cheeks were still rather red. "I know what you meant, don't worry. Hey, blond-haired kid with the two thugs, put down that boy now!"

Percy blinked, but then he looked inside the carriage and saw who Penny was talking to and stiffened. The blond-haired kid was laughing gleefully as the two 'thug-like' boys who looked like muscle shoved a fourth boy's head out the window.

The blond kid turned and stuck his lip out defiantly. "I am Draco Malfoy," he said, as if that meant anything. He distastefully added, "I do not listen to Mud- to the likes of you."

Percy took one step closer, thinking, Merlin,_ I hate bullies. And self-righteous pure-blooded maniacs. But mostly, self-righteous pure-blooded bullying maniacs who think that their name gave them privileges._

"And I am a prefect, which means I have enough authority to demand you step away from the window at once, pull that poor boy's head back inside, give you three detention, and write you to the school board, as long as we are on school grounds, which, I may add, include this train. If you were Sorted, I'd already have taken points from whichever House you disgrace. Your father may be on the board, but I fail to see how even he can spin sticking a first-year's head out the window as justifiable behavior. A pure-blooded first-year, too," he added upon recognizing the fourth boy's face. "I can also recommend you to the headmaster if need be, as well. All before we even reach the school, too! Why, I'm sure your old man would surely be disappointed in you. And you two!" he said, pointing to the thugs trying to escape Percy's notice while he berated Draco Malfoy. "I will not be forgetting you were the ones who actually held Mr. Longbottom out of the train. What are your names?"

Thug 1 grunted. "Gregory Goyle."

Thug 2 grunted as well. "Vincent Crabbe."

Percy walked over to them. Short as he was, he was barely taller than the two boys. "Tell me," he said, speaking softly now. "Tell me why you put Neville Longbottom's head out of the window."

It was quite a sight to see the two burly boys cowering under the glare the short, lean prefect gave.

Gregory Goyle spoke first, muttering in his deep voice, "Draco told us too." Vincent Crabbe nodded.

Percy stared them in the eye. "And tell me, then, why you listened to Draco."

Crabbe spoke this time. In a surprisingly childish voice, he said, "We always have."

Percy looked at them both. "Do you think what you did was right? Do you think that it's alright to stick people's heads out the window?"

Crabbe and Goyle looked at a loss. In his peripheral vision, Percy noted that Draco Malfoy looked terrified.

Goyle said softly, "Nobody ever asked us before."

Crabbe added, "Dad told me to just do what Draco says."

Goyle finished, "It's better than what Dad tells us to do at home."

Percy noted that Penny and Neville Longbottom both were looking at him in more than a little awe. _Time to pull out the big guns._

"Do you know who I am?" he asked. The Crabbe and Goyle, who until this moment were staring at their feet, looked up. Their eyes popped open. They stared at each other, acting like frenzied puppies.

"No way!"

"All this time!"

"Oh, Merlin!"

"Is that really..."

"Percy Weasley?"

Percy found it hard to keep from grimacing at the hero-worship. It took all his willpower to keep his face impassive. Penny's face suddenly gained a look of dawning comprehension, while Neville looked simply astonished.

Malfoy's speech barricade seemed to have been overcome at last, and he barked in a sudden harsh voice, "Crabbe, Goyle, stop this instant! I'll write your fathers!"

But Crabbe and Goyle were not to be put down mildly. Goyle's glare stopped Malfoy in his tracks. His guttural voice snapped, "Knock off, Draco. I'm done listening to orders."

Even Percy was surprised by this declaration. Malfoy's mouth fell open.

Crabbe stood next to him. "We ain't smart, that's not what we're saying. But we ain't stupid, either. You've been leading us on a long time, Draco."

Malfoy began shouting obscenities at the pair that was only broken off when Percy and Penny grabbed an arm each. He cussed all the way to the Perfect carriage.

* * *

"That was brilliant, Percy."

"That was me taking advantage of my fame and power," Percy replied, spitting out the window.

Penny tutted at him, "That was you using your authority to stop bullying."

He still examined his fingernails fretfully. Their rounds had ended ten minutes ago, and they had gone to Oliver Wood's compartment. He had been utterly amazed at what Percy had done. Then the topic turned to Quidditch, and Percy simply couldn't follow.

Someone opened the sliding door. Yet another first-year poked her head in. She was a bushy-haired girl with rather large front teeth.

"Hello," she said. "I'm Hermione Granger, I was just wondering if any of you had seen a toad. A boy named Neville Longbottom lost his."

Oliver collapsed in laughter. Penny's lips twitched. "He does tend to get in these situations, doesn't he?"  
Hermione Granger blinked. "Do you know Neville?"

Percy was instantly on his feet and out the door, drawing his wand and saying, "Generally we shouldn't use magic in the corridors, but as a prefect it is my duty to help with these situations. _Find Me Neville Longbottom's toad Directis._"

A bead of white light snaked out of the wand. The two students followed the bead all the way to the conductor's car.

The conductor was a dirty-mouthed Scottish Squib with a lumberjack's build and a scraggly beard. He scowled in the mirror when he saw them enter.

"An' I suppose y'all be wantin' when we'll be a-reachin the bloody castle. Well, all in bloody good time, I say! Go on, git!"

Hermione Granger moved to speak, but Percy touched her shoulder and spoke first.

"With all due respect, but we were searching for a toad and we found him here. We'll get him and be on our way, then."

And before the conductor could get so much as a "No magic!" out, Percy had his wand out and cast, "Accio toad!"  
A croaking toad flew out, arms flailing in strange reptilian motions, from beneath the brake. If the toad hadn't moved, the brake would have been jammed.

* * *

"Well, he could have been more polite about it," Hermione huffed as they headed towards Neville. The conductor had kicked them out of the engine room, screaming about magic and how it ruined his life and how he wasn't going to stand for it anymore. With his red face and quivering beard, he looked like a bomb about to detonate.

Percy shrugged. "Well, he's a Squib. They're people born in the magical world with no magic. The ones who stay in the magical world generally don't end up with very good lives. The caretaker at Hogwarts, Argus Filch, is one. He's very bitter about his lack of magical talent. That's why most wizards sent them off to get a Muggle education."

He liked Hermione. She was intelligent and lively, but what Percy found to be her best characteristic was her questioning nature. She asked questions about almost everything, but in a tactful and unobtrusive way. She was all set to become a teacher's pet. Heck, is she weren't Muggleborn, even Snape might like her.

Then she had to ask the million dollar question. "Say, I never got your name, anyway. What's your name?"

Percy stiffened. As casually as he could manage, he said, "I'm Percy Weasley." And then Neville exited a compartment, looking crestfallen, but brightening considerably when he saw Percy holding the toad.

"Trevor!" he cried blissfully. "How on Earth did you find him?"  
Percy explained about the spell, hoping neither of them knew _Find Me...Directis_ was a N.E.W.T. level spell.

* * *

Percy, Oliver, and Penny exited the Hogsmeade station to find a second year Hufflepuff sobbing into tha skeletal neck of a thestral.

Percy placed his hand on the girl's shoulder. She yelped and twisted to see them.

"You know, I see them too."

The Hufflepuff stared mutely as he put his other hand on the thestral's flank. She seemed hesitant to answer, "You see them? What are they?"

"They are thestrals. They are a sort of winged horse that can only be seen by those who have seen death."

The Hufflepuff clutched her left cheek, while she sobbed quietly.

"Oh...Evelyn...She was my sister, you know," the girl said miserably. "There was a car...Evelyn pushed me aside. She didn't have time to save herself. But I only got this scratch on my cheek, and one on my leg. Evelyn, she was so brave, she'd be a Gryffindor. It happened over the summer." She looked up sharply, seemingly just realizing she had shared this intimate story with people whose names she didn't know. Her face became ashen, and she hid her face behind her brown locks.

Penny put her arm around the girl, saying, "Don't worry, we won't gossip, if that's what you prefer. Come on, let's get in a carriage. My name's Penelope Clearwater. I'm the Ravenclaw Prefect."

Oliver hesitantly cleared his throat, "Er, I'm Oliver, Gryffindor Quidditch Captain."

Percy said, "My name's Percy."

The girl smiled and said, "I'm Eloise Midgen. Thanks for-you know, listening."

They boarded the last carriage, Eloise slowly becoming her cheerful self again.

* * *

Percy watched fretfully as Ron sat under the Sorting Hat. He already had been under there for almost two minutes. He could hear the whispers that the other houses made growing steadily louder. One particularity rude Hufflepuff first year all but shouted out, "Just go to Gryffindor already!" Percy could almost see his brother tensing up visibly.

"SLYTHERIN!" The raggedy hat yelled.

Percy blinked in surprise before applauding, shrugging at the gobsmacked expressions on his classmates' faces. Others weren't as fast to forgive, though. Whispering ran rampant as the redhead boy walked with his head down to the Slytherin table.

Percy, Oliver, Penny, a Hufflepuff named Harry Potter, Neville from Gryffindor, Crabbe and Goyle from Slytherin, and a few others were the only ones to applaud besides the Ron looked bewildered, horrified, and disgusted as he sat ramrod straight between Davies and Crabbe, with Goyle on Crabbe's other side.A few seats down, Percy heard Fred and George whispering, probably planning new pranks and teases.

Taking his wand, he conjured a long stick and poked each of them once. "_You-will-behave_," he whispered in a stern voice, before Vanishing the stick and staring them down.

He turned to smile at Oliver. "Treacle pudding?" He asked.

* * *

**And they're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Hogwarts! Review. It will make me smile. :) **


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